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Stepping into the center is in itself a calming experience. The atmosphere is a respite form the bustle of Braddock Ave. I leave with a peaceful outlook and a healthier body.

J.W.

I have received both regular massage and hot stone massage from Beth. Both were truly wonderful experiences. She has a deep understanding of therapeutic application of massage and its healing power. I leave my sessions relaxed, rejuvenated, and clear minded. Beth is a wonderful gift to the center and her clients!

A.L.

I started going to Beth for regular massages when I injured my shoulder in a dance class. Within the first two sessions with Beth, my pain had lessened considerably, and I could just feel all of the tension and tightness melting out of my muscles, both in the injured area and all of the surrounding areas. Beth has an amazing way of intuitively knowing exactly where the tension or pain is...

M.G.

I cannot say enough about what a difference Nikki’s calm and supportive attitude made to me. Because of my irregular cycles, it had taken me nearly a year to get pregnant with my first child, so when my husband and I decided we wanted to try to have another child, I was understandably quite apprehensive. I remembered the highs and lows of each month, hoping each time that this would...

J.S.

I’ve experienced many different types of energy and bodywork, and Nikki Remic’s Cellular Expansion treatments have been the most profoundly relaxing and restful sessions I’ve ever had! I highly recommend them!

D.M.

I have been coming to the Center since winter of 2008 for massage, classes and other events. It is so nice to be warmly welcomed by these women, who are responsive to your individual needs and concerns. The atmosphere is peaceful and positive, and you will always leave feeling 100% better than when you came.

J.E.

Before I went to see Nikki, I was really sick. I had been sick for a long time and had a few operations; the doctors were tired of "dealing" with me, so to speak. They did not know why I was feeling so bad. They told me to suck it up and get on with life. I basically felt hopeless until I met Nikki. When I met her, she was very positive and told me she would try her best to help...

K.H.

After dealing with Cervical Spinal Stenosis and chronic pain for years, I consider PCCHH a valuable asset for my wellness. Both Beth and Lili are extremely competent therapists, and not only do they treat physical complaints with their wonderful massage therapy, but they are also so attuned to their clients emotional balance as well. They are well-schooled in their art and have wonderful...

D.K.

A massage with Nikki Remic is unlike any other that I have had. It is truly a spiritual experience. From the moment the massage begins, I always feel an instant inner calm and peacefulness. Nikki seems to have a magic touch that goes way beyond good training and strong hands. Her personality mirrors her work; strong, centered, and serene. I recommend her with the highest regard.

A.T.

The past year has brought me pains and aches for different reasons. I spent months seeing different massage therapists (probably a dozen or more in total) and was pleasantly relieved to find someone who provided me with the highest quality massage along with a soothing and calming experience to fulfill both the pain management and relaxation needs that I have. I am able to trust each time I...

E.M.

Join Our Team!

Do you have a passion to make a difference in the lives of others? We are always accepting resumes for all types of holistic health practitioners! Email nikki@pghhealthandhealing.com

Are you being touched enough? This question always takes me back to these cute cards of my childhood that listed how many hugs you needed daily.

And there is even the Touch Research Institute that is dedicated to studying the benefits that human touch has physically, emotionally and mentally. In many studies the result comes down to the fact that as humans we need physical touch to thrive. It is one of the reasons why there is so much benefit to the healing touch of hands on massage and bodywork.

But today touch means much more to me than the act of affection or physical contact with another. It is about human connection that can “touch” our lives in so many ways.

At PCCHH we are in the business of touch, so I asked some of the staff to tell us what touch means to them. What have they seen first hand as the benefits of touch.

Here is what they said:

"We are sentient beings. As much as we find ourselves living inside our minds, existing through our worries and projecting ourselves into an unknowable future, it is important to connect with and through our bodies. Our bodies are tools we have been given to experience this world and explore our connection with others.

Touch allows us to connect with others on this earthly level. Intentions are conveyed through touch and each time I place a neck wrap on a client or pour them a glass of water I am intent on helping them feel at peace. It is a gateway to where they will travel next, with their therapist, into the workings of their bodies and being." ​Laura B.​

"Working at PCCHH as a yoga instructor and assistant manager, I have have the privilege of witnessing the power of touch on an hourly basis. I see stress melt away, confidence kindled, and healing of body, heart and mind becoming a reality! When we open ourselves to receive healing from a loved one or from a therapist's hands, we bravely take a step toward greater peace, presence and participation in life." -Lela

"Touch is important because you get to push the reset button on your nervous system through connecting with another. No other way compares."- Laura P.

"In my position at the center, "touch" takes on a different meaning. Through my work here, I've seen the benefits of trust and kind familiarity that result from relationship-building between clients and staff. These relationships are ways by which to "touch" others as well. "-Chris

I encourage you to look at the way that you are touching the lives of others around you. Are you leaving a lasting imprint of connection, or are you holiding back your human NEED for connection. Are YOU being touched enough? If the answer is no then maybe you need to renew your spirit with some healing, therapeutic bodywork.

The human heart is a complex and beautiful entity with importance that exists on a variety of levels. When we think of the words we say to someone as coming “from the heart” we make use of that term metaphorically. When considering the heart as a physical structure, an integral part of our anatomy, concepts such as eating heart healthy enter our minds. However, the heart combines the material with the immaterial and plays a very important role in how we relate with others and are able to influence our own wellbeing.

As the physical center of the circulatory system, the heart produces an electromagnetic field (EMF) extending outside the body, that can be measured up to12ft in circumference.1 This EMF is generated as myocytes, heart specific cells, depolarize with each contraction and produce a flow of electricity. Myocytes are organized so that they can interpret hormonal signals and send the information to other body systems.2,3

This information can come in the form of the fight-or-flight response when perceived threats, such as deadlines, expectations, finances, and relationship conflicts arise. This system does not differentiate between threats to our egos and threats to our lives. Our reactivity causes a variety of physiological changes that can damage the cardiovascular system. These include an increase in blood pressure, the stickiness and plumpness of blood platelets, and an increase of stress hormones such as epinephrine and cortisol that prompt the body to move fat stores into the bloodstream, raising cholesterol and increasing the risk of heart attack. 2,3 Over time these perceived threats shift our internal baseline to being more on edge and lead to a lower level of heart rate variability (HRV).4

Our responses to stress can be altered, cynicism can be overcome and patterns of energy can be altered to promote a trusting, healthy heart. Cardiac coherence involves reestablishing our internal baseline to bring about balance in our lives and increasing our HRV.4 Rhythms and patterns can be influenced by practicing conscious awareness of our emotional state and shifting our thoughts and emotions to more positive ones. This can be done through acquiring skills of self-regulation to increase coherence and reestablish wholeness, activating a feeling of calm. Breathing exercises, massage, meditation, and yoga are all beneficial practices to assist the body in reestablishing a more peaceful internal baseline. 5 Evidence suggests that learning to overcome hostility and developing positive social connections can reduce the risk of CVD and improve quality of life.6

It is of utmost importance to slow down and consider the effect that our energy has on our own experience on Earth as well as on the lives of everyone we interact with. Through developing a peaceful demeanor, mental processing improves and even more challenging moments can be encountered with a lowered stress response.3 The heart functions as more than a physical structure and it is our task to guide our hearts toward bridging the multitudes of our being.

Goleman D, Gurin J. Mind Body Medicine, How to Use Your Mind for Better Health. New York: Consumers Union of the United States; 1993:66-83.

Holt-Lunstad J, Smith T, Uchino B. Can Hostility Interfere with the Health Benefits of Giving and Receiving Social Support? The Impact of Cynical Hostility on Cardiovascular Reactivity During Social Support Interactions Among Friends. Annals Of Behavioral Medicine [serial online]. May 2008;35(3):319-330. Accessed January 26, 2014.

Anderson J, Taylor A. Use of Complementary Therapies by Individuals With or at Risk for Cardiovascular Disease: Results of the 2007 National Health Interview Survey. The Journal of Cardiovascular Nursing Iss: Vol. 27(2), March/April 2012, p 96–102.

When an individual experiences stress one of the areas that can create a place of holding is the physical body. It can experience a state of freeze. This doesn’t need to look like an immobilization of an entire area, but can be a small area of holding and tension that is braced against all else.

One of the beautiful things that we are able to witness as body workers is the ability for these frozen areas to melt from three types of connection:

attention and intention

touch

the breath

Just like we witness with the frozen ice in the winter time, our bodies are the same. It is a beautiful parallel since the body itself is made up of primarily water, in essence it is as if stress creates areas of ice in the body.

We see that just like the sun shining it’s light onto ice it is able to soften and melt. In this same way when we shine our attention and intention on an area of holding we are bringing more light to these areas, allowing them to choose to melt.

Secondly, when we touch an area we bring the warmth of our hands, and the energy of connection to these places as we massage or bring a present touch allowing the area to melt.

And then thirdly, we can bring the breath. This often happens along side of 1 & 2, but it can be a step on it’s own as well. The warmth of the breath moving through these areas of frozen holding can melt and open. This isn’t a forcing of the breath, but again involves the allowing of the breath into these areas of tension by an invitation. Inviting the areas to soften and allow the fluidity of the water in the body to restore for free flowing movement.

I encourage you to try these three steps at home to invite ease and relaxation into your body for it to become more at ease. You may even find the image of the body melting into more water to encourage a deeper place of allowing and connection as you explore the magic of the body.

"Our prime purpose in this life is to help others" -Dalai Lama

We are infinite beings capable of extraordinary talents. Each individual has something unique and beautiful to share with this world. Where ever our truest and most positive talents lay I feel it is our obligation to express them fully once discovered.

I always had a passion for healing. It's been a family trade starting with my father who inspired two of my sisters and I to become therapists. The thought of helping people on a daily basis created enough motivation for me to enroll into a massage program in Orlando, Florida. After a few short months into the program I started hearing remarkable feedback. People are saying they have been relieved of their headaches and some can now reach for that dish in the upper cabinet that they could not grab before. I was even hearing in many cases people were no longer feeling that shooting pain from their upper back leg to the bottom of their toes. Halfway through the program I knew I found my unique talent. This is what I wanted to share with the world.

After 5 years of professional experience I have been licensed in Florida, Colorado, California and now Pennsylvania. It has been a blessing to travel the country and be mentored by highly educated individuals in their preferred modalities. It's a rewarding feeling to me understanding multiple techniques which may help relieve specific muscle pain. I remember to not take pride or consider my self a "miracle worker" by any means. I am merely a practitioner who has studied the science and anatomy behind massage who aids the client to help heal themselves.

My most unforgettable experiences with massage have been the stories where clients no longer feel the need for drastic surgeries after our sessions. A lot of the time our limited range of motion is due to tightness in specific areas in the body that just need to be released. That knee that has been bothering you for years.. perhaps a misalignment in the body elsewhere is causing the pain which can be worked out through proper massage techniques rather then a trip to the surgery room. In one case a client had left the massage room and forgot to take her cane with her in which she had relied on to walk prior to the session. These stories bring so much joy to me and fill me with unlimited happiness.

The work flows through me fluently every day and the satisfaction it brings to myself and others is my reminder that I am utilizing my unique talent helping others. My main focus is to continue studying new ways to help recover and aid every person I touch into a more enlightened body via massage therapy.

I try, I really try, but I don’t love winter. Never have. The short days and grey skies make me feel so blah. The frigid cold makes my body tight and achy. I stay indoors more and see my friends and family less. Yes, I load up on vitamin D and sit in front of a sun lamp, but it’s just not enough to cut through the S.A.D. i endure every year.

Then last winter, a dear friend who has listened to me whine and lament year after year- and happens to be one of those crazy people who actually gets excited about the coming of winter- was convinced I could learn to embrace it too if I prepared properly and got into the right mindset. She gave me this wonderful little book called How to Hygge, The Nordic Secrets to a Happy Life. I think there may be hope..

The Nordic countries have long been recognized as some of the the happiest people in the world. It’s hard to understand how this could be, considering they have to bear longer, darker, colder winters than we do. Sounds like a nightmare to me. But necessity is the mother of invention, and in order to survive and thrive in such an extreme climate, they cultivated the custom of Hygge (hoo-guh) which means, basically, the art of getting cozy.

Rather than allowing winter to be something dreadful, that is out of our control and simply happens to us, Hygge would suggest that we fully embrace the season- whatever season- with special preparations and traditions. Following are a few of the ones I found most helpful for winter:

-Create a warm and cozy ambiance in your home for the season. Bring out the furry throw blankets, and the candles and twinkly lights to brighten up the long nights! We’re burning gingerbread and pumpkin spice candles throughout the house, so not only does it look warm and inviting, it smells amazing when I walk in the door. If you don’t have a wood burning fireplace, piñon incense will give your home that campfire smell.

-Indulge a little. Focus first on simple, natural foods to nourish your body. Cook up a delicious pot of soup or chili. Then spend some time baking something a little decadent. It’ll warm up the house and make it smell so inviting... and then share!

-Get together! It’s so easy to isolate once the weather gets rough, but we need to stay connected to the ones we love. Have a dinner party, potluck style or invite people over for a board game night. Rotate houses throughout the season.. Conviviality makes the heart happy.

-Cozy up your wardrobe. Bring out the wooly socks and sweaters, the puffy coats, hats and scarves.... Make sure your wardrobe has everything you need to stay warm even on the most frigid days. I know that this seems like common sense, but I took a good look at how I dress myself last winter and realized that i was often a layer or item short and I would end up cold and miserable if I were out for longer than 30 mins. Pile on the layers and fend off the chill.

-Now that you're dressed warm, get outside! Take a walk in a park or go ice skating. Being out in nature has a slew of positive benefits on our bodies and our psyches. It’s so important to move and stay active, to take in some fresh air and unfiltered sunlight, even during the coldest months. It may not be lush and green, but the winter landscape has its own special, quiet beauty. My son and I like to identify the animal tracks we find in the snow and name the winter birds we see along our walks in Frick Park.

So go get your Hygge on this year. Open your heart to the season and warm your world from the inside out.